Ballot-box



(No Model.)

V. A. GRIMES 8v 0. R.'LAME. BALLOT BOX.

m M B M. N a

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

VIRGIL A. GRI MES AND CHARLES R. LAME, OF PITTSFIELD, ILLINOIS.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,533, dated June 21 1892. Application filed March 12, 1892. Serial Na'lZLG'ZO. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VIRGIL A. GRIMEs and lHARLES R.LAME, of Pittsfield, in the county of Pike and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ballot-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in ballot-boxes, and has for its object to provide a box adapted for the reception of ballots and the lid of which may be locked securely in position in a manner to admit ballots being passed into the interior of the box through a suitable opening in the latter, and whereby, also, when all the ballots to be voted have been placed in the box at the close of the polls, for instance, the cover of the inlet-aperture and the inlet-aperture itself may be expeditiously and securely closed and the closing medium be utilized in looking the cover of the box to the body thereof.

It is another object of the invention to so form the cover with relation to the body that when the cover is located in position ballots cannot be pushed into the interior of the box between the cover and the upper edge of the body.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box, illustrating the locking mechanism in position to admit of the ballots being placed in the box, and a portion of the cover of the box is in section to illustrate its construction; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the box, illustrating the locking mechanism as crossing and concealing the opening through which the ballots are placedin the box.

The body Aof the box is made of any suitable material and may be made of any desired shape. Ordinarily, however, the box is rectangular, as illustrated in the drawings. This box is provided with a cover B, and said cover may have a hinged connection with the box or may have a sliding connection therewith. In either event the cover upon its under face at its margin is provided with a recess 10, whereby it fits upon the top edge of the body of the box and likewise engages with the inner face of the body at the top edge, as is shown in Fig. 1. Thus when the cover is closed down upon the body ballots cannot be forced into the box by entering them between the topedge of the body and the engagingsurface of the cover. The front of the cover is also preferably provided with an attached metal plate 11, which projects downward over the front surface of the box, and if in practice it is found desirable such a plate may be placed upon three sides of the cover instead of only upon the front. The said plate 11 serves not only to prevent ballots being pushed into the space intervening the cover and the body, but also serves as a wear-plate for the locking device when the box is finally locked.

The ballots are adapted to be introduced through an opening 12, produced in the cover and extending through it, which opening may be and preferably is closed when not in use by a metal lid 13, the said lid being hinged at one side or end of the opening, and the lid is made of a size enabling it to be carried down into the opening flush with the upper face of the cover of the box, or practically so. The locking device consists of a bar 14 of metal, preferably provided with a flat under face, and the said bar is of a sufiicient width to completely cover the opening 12 in the cover. This bar is pivoted between its ends centrally upon the upper face of the cover and is of a length to extend practically from side toside of the cover. At the forward end of the bar a hasp 15 is located, adapted to receive staples 16 and 17, one staple 17 being located at the front of the box-body and the other staple at the side. The opening 12 in the cover through which the ballots are passed is preferably made to extend in direction of the.

front and rear of the box, and near the rear portion of the cover a stop plate or block 18 is located. 1

When the box is in use to receive ballots, the locking device 14 is carried across the cover from side to side, as shown in Fig. 1,

and its hasp is made to receive the side sta ple 16, and through the medium of a padlock or the equivalent thereof the staple and hasp are held in locking engagement. At this time the opening 12 will be uncovered by the locking-bar and itslid 13 may be opened, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit ballots to be placed in the body of the box. After the voting is over the lid 13 is closed over the opening 12, and it may be sealed, if desired. Then the locking-bar 1 1 is disengaged from the staple 16 and turned upon its pivot until one end engages with the stop 18 and the forward portion of the bar completely covers and conceals the lid of the opening 12, as shown in Fig. 2. The hasp of the locking-bar is then carried to an engagement with the front staple 17 and is locked in that position.

It will thus be observed that, although this box is of simple and economic construction, it is entirely safe, and when properly locked in a manner to conceal the opening 12 in its cover it may be transported from place to place Without danger of its contents being tampered with or of ballots being forced in between the lid and the body of the box.

The lid may be made to simply lift out from the body, and the body may also be provided with metal protecting or strengthening strips at its edges and corners, such strips being shown at the edges in the drawings, and, if desired, glass may be introduced in the sides or ends, thus rendering the contents of the box visible.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In aballot-box, the combination, with the body thereof provided upon tWo sides Witha keeper, and a latch connected with the body, the said latch being provided with an'opening to receive ballots, and a cover adapted to close said opening, of a locking-bar pivoted upon the cover and capable of being carried over the ballot'reoeiving opening to conceal it and constituting an auxiliary cover for the opening or capable of being carried away from said opening to expose it, the said locking-bar being provided with a latch device for engagement with the keepers, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a ballot-box, the combination, with the body thereof, of a cover provided with a marginal rabbet or recess in its under face and an opening for the reception of ballots, and a locking bar pivoted upon the cover, provided With a hasp at one end, and staples located at one side of the box and at the front and adapted. to receive the hasp of the lockingbar, the said locking-bar being capable of bein g carried over the ballot-receiving opening, concealing said opening, or away from the opening to expose it, as and for the purpose set forth.

' VIRGIL A. GRIMES. CHARLES R. LAME.

\Vitn esses:

W. S. BINNS, EDWARD DOOLY. 

